The Player
by Nomolovesben
Summary: Welll i suck at sumarys... i think... anyway... and old friend of the Madubatchi trio, Ruki, ends back in Japan after leaving for the US and has a kid, Ruka. There are many things that she has had to deal with after her mother died when giving birth.


Gures1Girl: ok call me Nomo ok? and um Disclamer: i only own number 14 of Furuba (or Kureno if you prefer) but i wish i owned number 4 (Shigure) he's mine back off!!!!! snaps at nearest Gure-san fan girls actualy i wish i owned them all but alas... i am temporaraly broke... outa $, down and out... ect...

Sumary: Welll i suck at sumarys... i think... anyway... and old friend of the Madubatchi trio, Ruki, ends back in Japan after leaving for the US and has a kid, Ruka. There are many things that she has had to deal with after her mother died when giving birth... its all really self explained in the story as it gose... so have fun!!!!

**The Player**

**By: Nomo**

**!INTRO!**

"GURE-SAN!!!!!! It's been so long!!" called a very hyper Ayame Sohma.

"Aya, its 5 in the morning! Must you call this early!" moaned a sleepy Shigure Sohma.

"Awww, but I have a surprise for you!! And Hari-san too!"

"Aya you know Hari-san doesn't like those kind of surprises" Shigure said being his perverted self.

"NO! Not that, this time... I promise... Let's just say an old friend is back in town... and he needs someone to show his daughter around, and of course I thought of Tohru!" Ayame continued but at the words "an old friend" Shigure was lost in his thoughts... who could it be?

"Aya?" He interrupts.

"Yes?"

"Who is it?"

"Who?"

"The person in town!"

"Oh... that's a surprise!"

"Fine. Then when are you gonna tell us?"

"Soon"

"When's soon?"

"Today"

"TODAY?!"

"Maybe"

"Fine... what time?"

"Around noon... and we plan on some of Tohru's famous cooking!"

"Alright"

"See you then!"

"Whatever" and with that they hung up... and Shigure fell back to sleep.

**CHAPTER 1**

"GURE-SAN!!! WERE HERE!!!!!!"

At the sound of Ayame's voice Yuki Sohma looked up, then to Shigure...

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"Ah... he has a surprise for me!"

"You mean like a present?" Tohru comes in with tea.

"Most likely not Miss. Honda" Yuki replies with a grave look.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Kyo races down stairs "WHERE'S THE PERSON WHO INVITED 'HIM'!"

"Ah... but Kyo-kun, are you not glad I'm here?"

"NO!" both Kyo and Yuki yell.

"Well I invited myself... do I not have the right to visit those I love?!"

"NO!" again both Kyo and Yuki yell.

"Aya, will you please tell me who's in town?!" Shigure pleaded.

"Ruki..."

Shigure racked his brain for a minuet then got very happy, very fast.

"RUKI?! Are you serious? I thought he moved to the states! Man remember all the fun times we had in high school!"

"Yes... I remember" they both get this misty look in there eyes.

"EWW! GOOD GOD CAN YOU EVER NOT THINK ABOUT 'THAT'?!" Kyo screams

"Oh that reminds me... ("Do we want to know?" Yuki asked) he couldn't be here but his daughter is here... let me go get her... "

2 minutes later he leads in a girl, about Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo's age... long black hair, and icy blue eyes. She had no emotion on her face, just scanning the room taking note of the people here.

"This is Ruka, Ruka this is Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo, they are my cousins, and this is Tohru Honda... she lives with them! And is a wonderful cook!"

Nodding ((this is now gonna be Ruka's P.O.V))

"You know you'd make a good poker player" says the one named Shigure ((why you ask? Cause her face was as cold as stone)) pointing to me; I stiffen..., and then throw him a card... my favorite... the ace of Hearts... and it hits its mark... and wedges itself between his pointer finger and middle finger.

He reads it aloud: "Card player for hire: relatively cheep... call -------"

"Oh my..." Tohru says sitting down after serving lunch.

"Um... so anyway... tell us about yourself Ruka!" Ayame says clapping his hands.

"Sure... well apparently my dad was friends with Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori in high school... he moved to the states and married my mom and had me... well she died giving birth to me so my dad had to raise me himself. So I grew up learning Japanese and English... and my dad's job had us moving around allot so he decided to home school me... and he taught me all about his business in the gambling industry ("he always liked playing cards" Shigure says) ... I learned every card game in the world... and never lost one ever... so my Grandpa on my mom's side, decided I could make a living gambling for others... so he forced me to be a poker player, against my dads will but he blackmailed him so I had to play, to save my dad, so I did on those games they show on TV.. The world champion ships... I've been invited to play at those since I was 7... but he declined, my grandpa who turned to my agent, telling me it was to dangerous to go out in the open like that... and then my dad had a good job opportunity here so, we left him behind and I'm done with the poker for now, because my Grandpa doesn't know where we are yet, but if you ever need one, I'll do it for friends if they ask nice enough, anyway here I am, oh and I'd advise you not to touch me. I don't like to be touched… kinda _paranoid_ that way I guess."

I said that with as little emotion as possible... but inside I was hurting... being forced into gambling...I'm not even old enough. He got me in with fake ids or went to places that didn't care... now I was old enough and things were not going good...

"OH! Poor, poor you!" Ayame said and went to hug me ((o.O;;)), Shigure stood up and tried to stop him... it was too late... but instead of him hugging me... I jumped be hind him and threw him on the ground with my knee in his back and holding his arm behind his head, saying "DO.NOT.TOUCH.ME. I've just told you that... and this is the last time, if not, you'll lose this arm of yours." I let him up.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Kyo exclaimed.

"What?" I ask calmly...

"THAT!"

"I said don't touch me... "As like that explained everything

"Yes but that doesn't give you the right to attack my brother..." Yuki butts in... ((ok since when'd he care for his brother? Oh well!))

"Who asked you, you damm rat?!" Kyo yelled

"You were talking so we could hear, so it gives me the right to say something!"

"NO IT DOSNT!" Kyo said he obviously was getting angry...

"Yes it does... or do you wanna make something of it?"

"HELL YEAH I WANNA MAKE SOMETHIN OF IT!"

The start fighting... on punch thrown after another... kicks here, there... everywhere... and were in no hurry to stop... Shigure was trying to get them to stop, saying that lunch was more than ready and it was getting cold, and his poor house couldn't take this much abuse... so I, being hungry myself, decided to step in... Waiting for the perfect time... as soon as they were standing almost in front of each other, charging, basically... I grabbed their arms and pulled down... causing them to fall forward causing them to hit there heads... "Lunch is ready... and I'm hungry"

They just look at me and sit down... Ayame sits next so Shigure... Kyo next to Tohru and I'm next to Yuki...

"I haven't had food this good since... well ever... even room service isn't this good..." I say breaking the silence... silence is only for poker games... even then its kinda awkward...

"REALLY? OH THANK YOU!" Tohru exclaims

"Yes Tohru you really out did yourself" Ayame said.

"Well Shigure-san did say we'd have a guest today..."

"HE TOLD YOU?!" both Kyo and Yuki screamed.

"I meant to tell you I swear I did... it's just my editor called and it got kinda hectic..."

"You write?" I ask "I love reading... what kind of stuff do you write?"

Everybody gave me a weird look... well, except Shigure and Ayame... wonder why...

"You wanna read one?" He pulls out a book... ((why dose he carry one around?!!!)) The title is "Lost loves" a romance novel...

"Um... ok..." you say and take the book; oh… that's why …

So with simple non-important conversations going on... you decide your grandfather would take a while to find you here, but that fact alone scared you... he always is two steps ahead on everything, he'd becoming for you eventually…

"Um... Ayame you said that my father wanted someone to show me around Tokyo... obviously you are busy at your shop... (yes I had an "unfortunate" incident where he took me to his shop and I almost killed his assistant for trying to force me into a dress) so..."

"Ah yes... that's why I brought you here... I was hopping that if Tohru-kun wasn't very busy she'd show you around, Tohru-kun would you mind?"

"NO, NO OF CORSE NOT! We can go now if you want Ruka."

"The sooner the better I guess..." And you follow her to the door; it was Kyo's turn, apparently, to do the dishes... ((shudders chores!!! runs away!))

"So where do you wanna go first?" She asks you after you finish walking down the drive way thinking why must it be so long?!

"I don't know, where ever..." you say shrugging

"You know what... you look like you could use some fun, were going to Uo-Chan's!"

"Who?" you ask

"My friend, Uo, she knows all the best places to go around here."

"Ok" thinking you, yourself could do with some letting lose... maybe a club or something lively, but then again... Tohru seems like the person with more "girly" friends... not my crowd.

After about maybe 7 minuets or so of walking, 10 minuets on a subway and then 4 more minuets of walking, she stops in front of an apartment complex... kinda dingy looking if you ask me.

"She lives here alone." Buzzing the door thing to her apartment saying "Uo-Chan! It's me, Tohru... I've got someone you might wanna meet!"

"Come on up!" She buzz opens the door for us.

When we get up there it takes a little while but eventually you hear the scraping of furniture on the floor and a few locks unclick, then Uo opens the door.

"Hey!" She says brushing a lock of hair away from her eyes "and who do we have here?"

"OH! RIGHT! So sorry! Uo this is Ruka, Ruka this is one of my best friends Uo."

Uo, opposite to my thoughts, was not girly at all! Maybe I'll get along fine here… who knows at this point? ((Me!!!! The most fabulous writer! Omg!!! I'm sounding like Shigure!!! . yay!))

"Hey Uo, what's with the extra security?" I ask, starting a conversation.

"Ah that… I have a few what you may call enemies that I have to keep a look out for… they've been "active" lately"

"Uo used to be in a gang!" Tohru says rather lighthearted, like it was nothing.

"That's… um… yeah." Uo says rubbing the back of her head… "So what's been up with you Tohru? I mean other than Ruka!"

"Not much really… so are you free? The others don't have any free time and Ruka here needs the 'Grand Tokyo Tour!'"

So for the next few hours they dragged me around Tokyo, I was filled with so much information on the best places to hang out, or best restaurants my head started spinning!

**Chapter 2**

So the next day I woke up and sat in the cot in Tohru's room (that's where I was staying that night… Shigure absolutely insisted! roles eyes) rubbed my eyes and stood up… Tohru was still asleep so I went to her bathroom and took a quick shower, amazingly she didn't wake up.

The house was quiet. I liked things quiet when I'm alone… the solitude feels good. I grabbed yesterdays newspaper and went out side and climbed up to the roof, where I saw Kyo, just sitting there… staring into space. Quietly I walk over to him…

"Hey…" I say sitting down next to him and pull out the paper "nice day isn't it?"

"Yeah… HEY!!! WHAT THE HELL? YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SNEAK UP ON WHO EVER YOU WANT AND…"

"Just talk?" I finish for him.

"Yeah well it's still rude…"

"For just wanting to talk?"

"Oh forget it!"

"Ok…" man I LOVE confusing people!!

"Um…. ok…"

"So how's life?"

"What?"

"How's life? It's a question… ever hear one? Oh look there's another one!"

By now I could tell I was frustrating him…

"Yes…" he says gritting his teeth…

"So how's life then?"

"Great till you came along…"

"I don't think it's me… even though I haven't been here long, you and Yuki don't seem to like each other much, but when Tohru's around you both calm down… although… you two do seem to see her in two different lights…"

"Yeah I don't like that damm rat…"

"Rat? (Odd…) you like her don't you?"

"What? Who?"

"Tohru, you like her don't you?" (He-he… he's calming down when I mention her…)

"Um….. Yeah I guess… so?!"

"No its fine… she just doesn't notice it yet, but I'm sure she likes you…"

"I wish, what with Yuki around I can't ask her out or anything…"

"Yes you can. One person isn't gonna stop you! I can tell, you're not that type… besides… he doesn't like her that way anyway…"

"What do you mean?"

"The way you two look at her… it's different… I can't explain it, but I'm a girl so I just know anyway… he looks to her as a mother, I guess."

"Really? So I could just ask her out…"

"Yes… if you really like her… but Yuki'll be protective… if you just keep her happy it'll be fine."

"You know, Ruka, you're not a half-bad person."

"Yeah I guess not… well see you…" I jump down… (I was into athletics and such…)

I leave him and go sit in the living room and read my paper, well, their paper.

"Oooooooooooooooooooh, oh... good morning Ruka!" Shigure walks in yawning. What is with people being everywhere I want to read the paper!!??!!

"Good morning, thank you for letting me sleep over… its better than going back to the hotel and sharing a room with my dad…"

"Oh it's nothing!" he says smiling and sits down with a note book… funny he acutely works on his books!! His poor editor, if only she knew!!

He was actually being quiet, so I finished reading the paper… and at that moment both Yuki and Tohru walk out.

"GOOD MORNING!" Tohru exclaims.

"Hey…" says a half asleep Yuki, who obviously is NOT a morning person.

"Good morning Tohru, Yuki." I say setting down the paper.

"Good morning our little flower, you too Yuki…"

Yuki just roles his eyes and sits down at the table and basically falls asleep, Tohru goes to the kitchen and starts to make breakfast.

"Hold on one minuet there!" I say standing up, "you let me sleep here so I'm gonna help with breakfast"

"Oh… ok if you want I usually do it myself." She says blinking

So we make breakfast… nothing special… it was a lazy Saturday, a very lazy Saturday.

Kyo was sitting with Yuki and Shigure when we finished. I, having the great since of humor, bang a spoon on a pan in Yuki's ear, who in turn bolts up and throws a fist at me which hits the pan and makes a low ringing sound. Kyo was laughing his butt off, Shigure's paper (he picked it up when I was done) bent in half and he was chuckling. Yuki just sat there staring at his fist the pan and me who was now on the floor trying to breath, for he bent the pan in half!

"Oh my god! Yuki….. Are… you… ok?!" I say as I catch my breath and when I did I added "I'm so sorry… I just meant to surprise you…"

"I'm fine, just please don't do that again?"

"Yeah… here I'll get some ice for that… I shouldn't have done that… again I'm sorry."

"It's fine… really"

"Alright"

Tohru, who was in the kitchen walked in and had no idea what happen or why Yuki's fist was a little red, or why Kyo was still laughing. Shigure had long since put the paper back up and shook his head.

Once breakfast was over I offered to do the dishes for Yuki, I still felt sorry for hurting his fist… and breaking the pan… and possibly hurting his eardrums.

Yuki left to go to a meeting for his student council thing, Kyo left for who knows where, and Shigure went to do some errands so me and Tohru sat and talked, she told me everything about her, her mom, and all her friends. I shared some more of my childhood but that's kind of depressing.

Around noon my dad called me using my emergency cell phone.

"Ruka! Look, I don't know where you are or what you're doing but stop and listen closely,"

"Dad, what is it?" I say… he was using the 'tone' he only used in real emergencies.

"Look, your grandfather found me, I'm in a cab and he's pursuing me, knowing you your somewhere save, I have to lead him away from you… he said something I didn't like, and he's after you…"

**CHAPTER 3**

"Dad? DAD? DAD?!!!" I cried into the phone, but the line had gone dead.

"Ruka? What is it?" Tohru said looking concerned.

"My…. My g-grandfather, he found my dad!!! OH GOD!! He's probably out looking for me too!!!"

"The one you talked about? Who forced you to gamble?" ((Oblivious much!))

"That… and much more…" I say getting quiet, "God what am I going to do?!! I can't very well go back to the hotel, he's probably waiting for me there, and staying here is out of the question…"

"NO, its not! I'm sure Shigure-san wouldn't mind! Please, it would be great to have another girl around!"

Blinking, I look at her and then did something I've never do, I cried.

"Oh, are you ok? Was it something I said?" She hugged me, and I let her.

"no, no its just that… no one ever, well wanted me, for me… except my dad, but he may be gone now, my grandfathers after me with god knows what intention and you offer me a place to stay!" ((Ok biblical much!))

I cried for a little longer then I said something I've never talked to anyone about,

"It's not the gambling part I don't like, actually I find it quite enjoyable, but, here look," I give her another card. Identical to the one I gave Shigure, "Peal it apart…"

Tohru did so and read it silently and gasped.

Little did I know Shigure had come home just as I got the phone call from my dad and was listening through the door? He too pealed open his card and read it too. Then went back out and waited a few minuets and came in, looking like his normal self.

"GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES!" He says bursting in.

I quickly wiped my eyes and smiled a "hello"

Tohru Hides the card and stood up "I think I'll start on dinner, Ruka, why don't you ask Shigure-san now?"

"Um, yah, ok… Shigure-san? I really don't mean to impose but my grandfather…"

I told him what my father said when he called me and that going back to the hotel was almost as bas as a death wish and I reeeeeeeeaaaaly didn't have a death wish, and that my grandfather probably caught my dad and will either keep him hostage or kill him, and seeing as Shigure was my father, Ruka's, best friend in high school he got upset, and he said I could stay for a while, but he'd have to ask Akito, Tohru shivered at his name ((ok I'm going by the fact that Akito is a guy, so…. Deal!))

Akito I then learned was the head of the Sohma family and was definitely not known for being nice, Tohru was an exception.

"So I just have to convince him that I'm a good person or something?"

"Eh… something like that…" he replied

"Ok take me to him!" I say confidently.

"I'm not so sure that's a good thing…" Shigure was going to continue but was cut off by a knock at the door. He goes to answer it.

"HARI-SAN!!" he says

"Shigure, Aya said I should come here… someone I'd want to meet or something."

"Ah! Right come this way!!! Ruka!"

They walk in and sit down around the table, Tohru brought in more tea.

"Oh, hello Hatori-san, how are you today?"

"Fine thanks Tohru-kun, and who is this?" he asks Shigure nodding to me.

"Oh right! This is Ruka… Ruki's daughter! Ruka, this is Hatori-san, he's the family doctor, and I'm sure he'd be delighted to be yours seeing as Ruki was the 4th musketeer!"

Hatori looked surprised for a second then said "Well this is a pleasure! May I ask where Ruki is?"

"Uh…" I say then look at Tohru who was smiling sweetly, then Shigure, who then explained everything from when Aya came over a couple days ago.

Hatori's face paled when he got the part where my grandfather kidnapped my father and that I'd said that I wanted to talk to Akito to ask if I can stay just until my father is found and we leave again.

"Oh, that will not do… Akito, is not the kind of person, who 'enjoys' people, let alone strangers."

"I don't care! I can guarantee that I will be able to stay"

"Alright, Shigure, Akito is feeling better, I think she might be able to come over tomorrow, I'll over-see it so he dosnt do anything… rash, if that's alright with you, Ruka?"

I didn't like the idea of being in a room with 2 strangers, ok one was my fathers best friend in high school, but the other, I've already got weird looks from Tohru, who was trying her best to smile, Shigure, who looked concerned, and Hatori, but I nodded anyway.

Next day

I was at the main gate of the Sohma household with Shigure, and I was trying to figure out what I was going to say.

"Hatori, let us in" Shigure said into the microphone thing on the door.

A few minuets later the door opened, but it wasn't Hatori, it was a little kid, short.

"Hello!! Shigure-san! Who's this?"

"Hello Momiji-kun! This is Ruka, a daughter of an old friend of Ayame, Hatori and I. She needs to ask Akito if she can stay with me for a while!"

"Ok, HI Ruka-san!!! Hey Shigure dose she kn…"

"no…"

"Just call me Ruka" I said

"ok Ruka!! Wanna play?" oh man this kid was cute! With a capitol K!!!

"I'm sorry Momiji-kun, I have an appointment, maybe next time ok?"

"ok! See you later then!" and he took of between 2 houses.

"Shigure, what don't I know?" I asked as we neared what I thought was Hatori's house/clinic.

"huh? Oh nothing, its nothing."

I droped it and payed no attention to what Hatori and Shigure were talking about as we walked the short distance to Akito's house ((is it a house?)) I was again concerned on what I wanted to say, I think I finally had it figured out.

"Now Ruka, he may order me to leave, I cannot disobey a direct order from him. He may get violent… Just stay respectful and you might get out fine… but if he starts hurting you just call for me and Shigure ok?"

"um, ok." I think I was in for more than I bargained for.

"Enter," Came his voice from inside the doors of his room.

I shuddered and followed Hatori in waving to Shigure.

Right away he said "you may leave Hatori…"

He bowed and left.

"Hatori has told me you wish to live with Shigure, Kyo, Yuki, and that Tohru Honda girl."

"ye.."

"do not speak! Tell me this, do you know? Hatori never mentioned."

"do I know what sir? Momiji, at the gate had asked Shigure if I knew something but it confused me."

"good, good… now do you think you deserve it?"

"deserve what sir?"

"I asked you a question! You do not answer me with another question!" he said coming at me and grabbing my hair, it didn't bother me, I was used to abuse from my grandfather.

"I'm sorry sir, but I can not answer a question when I don't know what it is about, sir." I added the extra sir for good measure.

I could tell he was getting p.o'd at me, the way he threw the vase at me. ((No dip Sherlock!)) Fortunately he just barely missed my head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what I could have done to upset you already, but if its about your families safety…"

"Safety? Hah! That's a laugh" then he rounded on me and punched me in the face. My nose started bleeding. "how's that for safety, did that hurt?"

"Yes sir,"

"good!"

"but, sir, but without pain, we would be no better than the dead. At least. That's what my father used to say. Or maybe still say, I don't know."

"How would you not know what your father says, you say you want to live with part of MY family yet you talk about you dad, why don't you just live with him then?" He slapped me, scratching my face.

"Because, my grandfather just kidnapped him, for all I know killed him, actually he probably did. Sir you may know my father, he was a friend of Hatori-san, Ayame-san and Shigure-san's in high school, Ruka."

He was about to hit me again but stopped when he heard the name.

"your father?" he narrowed his eyes at me "he was unusual, I knew there was something I thought was familiar, I wonder if you as good as he was." He then did something I was not expecting, he grabbed the back of my head and kissed me, shoving his tong down my throat.

I sat there for a minuet trying to think of something, I was used to being used by guys and the occasional girl (god I hated that) but this… was different.

Finally he stopped and said, "leave, you may stay at Shigure's house till I see fit."


End file.
